Sermon Against the Salesmen

[AFK]

Those things are such scams.  Especially in the pharmacies like CVS and Rite Aid.  Before Rite Aid introduced their bonus card, they basically raised all their prices, so you needed the card just to be able to buy the stuff at the same price as before. 

[Richter]

Agreed.  It's all a ploy to track demographics and purchasing history. 

Really? Over here they hear that often enough that the supermarket where you need a "bonus card" to make use of their special offers, you can fill in the form with just two X's. Because they rather have that than having to filter out the bogus info, I guess.

The offers are just like the other supermarkets' special offers except you need the card. although if you say you forgot it at the checkout, usually the cashier scans their own card for you. And otherwise the person behind you will lend it to you.

TITCM. 
In all the stores around here they usually give them out in sets of 3.  Two little barcode tags for a keychain, and one credit-card sized one.  I keep one key tag, and usually give the other two away.  (WHAT NOW BITCHES?)

At places with "self checkout" aisles, there's usually a button in the first layer of menus for "I forgot my card", that will apply the discounts too. 

[Requia ☣]

The ones here require you to enter your phone number if you don't have the card, so it still goes through the system.  There used to be a shared number (local area code)-867-5309, but last time I tried it it wasn't working.

[Eater of Clowns]

I take pride in having a purchasing history that, though it may be tracked, it cannot be marketed to.  I got a few targetted coupon ads sent to my name and they grossly misinterpreted the kinds of things that I buy, probably because there isn't a category in their system that takes things like the number of steps removed the product is from being an actual food.  It doesn't matter much now, splitting my shopping between the locally owned and still cheap supermarket, the butcher shop, and the discount produce store.

It's like when I'm on Netflix, rating movies 5 stars from directors like Kubrick alongside Paul Verhoeven.  It makes no sense to them and they give me wonky as hell suggestions on things to watch.  I browse through their failure of a recommended title page and smirk as I see their algorithm sweat under the weight of my awful, awful taste.  Or like when facebook's targetted ads tell me I should try a McRib when I haven't eaten any sort of fast food in about three years.

[Richter]

Facebook alternately offers my new age crap, books, tools, and insulin. 

[Don Coyote]

I mostly get ads for military discounts on alienware and shitty internet degrees in criminal justice

[Placid Dingo]

Facebook alternately offers my new age crap, books, tools, and insulin. 

I changed myself into a girl, and my facebook ads are way better.

[Golden Applesauce]

Those things are such scams.  Especially in the pharmacies like CVS and Rite Aid.  Before Rite Aid introduced their bonus card, they basically raised all their prices, so you needed the card just to be able to buy the stuff at the same price as before. 

I was on the call center handling complaints when Walgreens rolled out their bonus card.  In their case, it was sent to senior citizens, who had a strong tendency to think they their medicare was being replaced with this card.  Even better.